Tanar'ri, Armanite


Hand Size:
3 (17)


Whether born via conventional breeding or ascended to from lower forms of tanar'ri, armanites are demonic planar beings. They have a bevy of supernatural powers with which to commit their depredations, and some excel in one or more further paths of power, as well.


Tanar'ri Physique: armanites are demonic entities hailing from the Abyss. While they are 'lesser' tanar'ri they possess some discipline despite their chaotic dispositions, making them truly deadly in large numbers. Armanites possess these tanar'ric capabilities:

* Darkness (a): all tanar'ri have the ability to share the inherent darkness of their very souls with the world at large. This rudimentary power functions at but intensity 4, but basically 'blacks out' everything within near missile distance of the armanite.

* Dimensional Transit (i): in addition to being able to teleport, tanar'ri can transition between planes of existence. They may do so with intensity 5 ability, though on a failed action dimensionally transiting tanar'ri may be subject to error, per a failed teleport. *


* Invulnerability to Fire, Electricity, Heat, and Poison (s): the tanar'ri are hardy creatures - they have to be to survive at all in the endless, horrific wastes of the Abyss. Their forms have evolved over time to give them complete immunity to fire, electricity, heat, and poison.

* Portal Sense (w): planar beings all, armanites have the ability to perceive the various rifts that dot the planescape of the multiverse. Most of these doorways are invisible to the naked eye, but all armanites can spy them with ease, doing so with intensity 8 ability.

* Resistance to Cold Attacks (s): though they are not immune to the effects of cold attacks, tanar'ri are considerably resistant to such. When exposed to any form of cold in their environment, a tanar'ri may resist such as if their Strength were +2 higher (intensity 8).

* Telepathy (w): almost all tanar'ri are able to communicate directly from mind to mind - a vital skill when so few speak the same tongue. They can usually broadcast and receive thoughts with intensity 5 skill, enough to get their point across when necessary.

* Teleportation (i): chaotic creatures all, the tanar'ri can bend space itself to their will. All tanar'ri possess the power to teleport with intensity 10 ability, and can avoid teleportation's usual side effects while transporting themselves within the same plane of existence. *

Additional Limbs (a): armanites all possess six limbs. Most of the creatures are centaur-like, having four legs, but a few take after a kangaroo, and instead possess four arms. This allows them an additional attack with their 'extra' limbs each exchange, as a contingent action.

Conventional armanites can wield this bonus attack in the form of a stomp with their spiked hooves, inflicting their Strength +2 in slashing damage. The more kangaroo-like armanites may make an extra weapon attack with their spare arms, if they bear additional weapons.

Body Armor (s): supplementing their already impressive supernatural protections, armanites also possess considerable resistance to conventional injury. They possess intensity 8 (+2) body armor, which (combined with their Strength) makes them formidable in melee combat.

Electricity Generation (a): oddly enough, armanites have the ability to generate electrical power to some extent. Most of them can only imbue projectiles like arrows with electricity, while troupe leaders, or Knechts, can do this with melee weapons as well (+2 damage).

But more powerful armanites, the leaders of strongholds and towns known as Konsuls, can actually project lightning bolts! These powerful blasts of lightning can inflict intensity 12 energy damage per deadly blast, and may be wielded up to three times per day.

Growth (a): armanites as a whole are huge. The demonic beasts stand ten feet tall, though their 'horse' halves are but six feet high overall. This translates into intensity 1 growth, which adds +1 to their Strength and subtracts -1 from their Agility versus normal-sized foes.

Horns (s): armanites all possess large horns, not unlike those of a ram (albeit smaller in size). Though they usually prefer to trample or puncture foes with their spiked hooves, armanites can use these weapons when charging or head butting, adding +2 damage to such maneuvers.

Jelling (a): armanites have the ability to fly up to one hour per day, doing so by 'galloping' into the air and then subsequently running on it. They may move at 60 miles per hour while they streak across the skies, which translates into intensity 2 flight.

Super Running (a): those armanites who possess four legs (as opposed to the ones with extra arms) may move lightning fast in a pinch. They can gallop at intensity 1 ground speeds (30 MPH) normally, and push it to 60 MPH (intensity 2) as if running normally.

Spectral Vampirism (i): armanites have the power to feed on the spiritual energies of their enemies, usually doing so after having physically slain them. The act of eating a foe's body allows an armanite to feed upon his very soul as well, and they may do so at intensity 8.

This easy difficulty action is opposed by the armanite's victim's Willpower. Successful attacks subtract points from one's Willpower, and once it's gone that person's soul is considered to be lost, unable to be resurrected by conventional means.

It is unknown if they require spiritual energy to survive, but armanites definitely enjoy consuming it.

Hindrances / Augmentations:

Monstrous: it should go without saying, but armanites are monstrous entities. Frightening in appearance, an armanite is at Willpower 0 to prevent Edge 0 humans from fleeing at the mere sight of them - not that they would ever really bother, unless it amused them to do so.

Susceptibility: like all tanar'ri, armanites are weak against the use of cold-wrought iron weapons, as well as holy water and weapons. Their supernatural defenses are ineffective against such assaults, which inflict at least a quarter of an armanite's maximum Health in damage.


Fluted Armor (s): armanites usually wear fluted, extravagant armor, for functionality as much as for show. This armor is thick, and provides additional 4 intensity (or +1) to the Body Armor intensity that armanites possess naturally, making them even more terrifying opponents.

Personal Weaponry: armanites usually carry the adopted weapon of their troupe. These include Maces (Strength +3 damage), Scimitars (Strength +4 damage), Lances (Strength +3 damage, raised to +5 in a charge), or Compound Bows or Crossbows (Agility +4 damage).


Weapon Skill (s): armanites possess at least one weapon skill - that of the troupe they currently belong to. Armanites who have moved from troupe to troupe will have learned additional weapon skills from these other troupes as well, and use all trained weapons at a reduced difficulty.


Greed, with a secondary calling of Demolisher: while they love to kill the hated baatezu and anything else that's foolish enough to cross them, the armanites are overall motivated by a lust for plunder and booty. It's their material desires that drive them to violence.


The endless masses of armanites are mercenary by nature, their troupes serving whoever can meet their price - and serving well, as long as the booty flows free. Armanites pride themselves on their combat prowess, though they need a strong leader lest they squabble amongst themselves.


The armanites appear like pale, undead centaurs, their bloated torsos hanging near the ground, and have the horns of rams or goats. They have stiff bristles down the length of their spines, which end in a long, swishing tail. They wear thick, fluted armor for both its form and function.

Some troupes of armanites are slightly different, however. Their lower half resembles kangaroos more than horses, and their front 'legs' are actually fully functional arms (giving them four arms instead of four legs). They are rarer, but do occur now and then.

Ecological Niche:

Armanites are either formed from lesser tanar'ri who grow in power, or are born - usually on the Plains of Gallenshu, the 377th layer of the Abyss. Those who aren't born here often make their way to this layer, for it is run by no Abyssal Lord - only the armanites themselves.

Armanites usually live in combative troupes, which are often recruited by the Abyssal Lords as they excel in coordinated actions - impressive for creatures of chaos and evil. Male and female armanites usually live apart save for mating season (after victories against the baatezu).

The teeming masses of armanites often feed upon varrangoin, yugoloth and baatezu, in that order. They consume not only the flesh of their prey but their very souls as well, preventing untimely resurrections. Mortals foolish enough to enter armanite territory are usually slain outright.


* Depending on which version of the Planescape lore you wish to use, the armanites (along with the rest of the tanar'ri) may not have access to these powers any longer, having lost them due to yugoloth meddling. Their presence is at the discretion of the individual Narrator.

Extra Goodies:

Tanar'ri, Armanite Saga System 13 Text File Download

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